Miniature bowling game apparatus



March 7, 1939.

Filed May 23, 1958 \J m W M Q N o o x, NJ Ml o v r l A I Y Jams fl/VM/Jafi ATTO R N EYS Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES 2 Claims.

This invention relates to games, and its general object is to provide a game apparatus somewhat similar to that used in the game of bowling, but in miniature, in that my apparatus includes an alley, balls to be rolled thereon and gutters upon opposite sides of the alley; however, the apparatus is primarily designed to be supported in the hands of the players while operating or playing the game, which is played by attempting to roll the balls along the alley from a starting point at one end of the alley to a so-called home plate at the opposite end thereof, the home plate being provided with a pocket for receiving the balls.

A further object is to provide a game apparatus which includes an enclosure, so that the loss of the balls therefrom is impossible.

Another object is to provide a game apparatus that can be readily operated, but requires utmost skill to retain the balls on the alley until they reach the home plate, therefore it will appear that the game affords much amusement and fun.

A still further object is to provide a game apparatus of the character set forth, that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and extremely efficient in use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the game apparatus which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken therethrough.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken approximately on line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral I indicates the body of my apparatus which as shown, is in the form of an elongated frame, in that the body is slotted longitudinally for the major portion of its length, to provide a chamber 2. One end portion of the body is reduced to provide a handle 3 to be grasped by the player, preferably by one hand,

when playing the game, as will be later apparent.

At the ends of the slot, it will be noted that the body is recessed on the under surface thereof to provide shoulders to receive the ends of a base strip 4, which is secured to the body by suitable means, such as screws, for closing the bottom of the slot or chamber, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3. Formed on the base strip and extending along the longitudinal center thereof is a substantially wedge shaped elongated member 5 that terminates at its ends inwardly of the ends of the base strip, with its wide end disposed adjacent to the forward end thereof, and the opposite end of the member 5 merges into the base strip, as best shown in Figure 2.

The member 5 provides the alley of the apparatus and the upper surface thereof is inclined gradually upward from its rear end toits forward end, as well as being slightly concaved or hollowed transversely from end to: end as indicated in Figure 3, which likewise best illustrates that the member or alley 5 is of a width to be spaced from the side walls 6 of the body, to provide gutters I.

The alley 5 is preferably formed with shoulders 8 rising from along the side edges thereof, and which extend from beyond the rear end of the alley but terminate a considerable distance inwardly of the opposite end, and the shoulders gradually increase in height andwidth from their rear ends and merge into the alley at their opposite ends, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. The rear ends of the shoulders are outwardly. flared, and it will be obvious that the shoulders provide barrier guides for the balls 9 from their starting point for a portion of their travel along the upper surface of the alley.

At the starting point of the balls, the base strip 4 has a depression lil therein providing a seat for the balls, as will be apparent, and arranged in the path of the balls at the opposite end of the alley is a substantially cup-shaped member ll of triangular formation, and which I term the home plate. Formed on the cup-shaped member and depending therefrom is a threaded shank 12 that extends through the base strip and has mounted on the outer end thereof a nut I3 for securing the cup-shaped member to the base strip and preferably in a manner whereby one of the corners thereof is direct-ed toward the center of the alley, as best shown in Figure 1.

The front end of the body I is recessed to receive an insert it that is flush with the upper surface of the body and secured in the recess by screws or the like, as shown. The inner end of the insert is grooved, with the groove thereof coinciding with a groove extending about the walls of the slot or chamber adjacent the upper end thereof, to receive the edges of a strip l5 of transparent sheet material, such as Celluloid or the like, and which closes the upper portion of the chamber, and the strip [5 is preferably curved transversely and upwardly, as best shown in Figure 3. By the use of the strip l 5 it will be obvious that loss of the balls will be impossible. It will be obvious that the insert l4 allows access to the chamber, and holds the strip l5 in its grooves.

From the above description and disclosure of the drawing, it will be apparent that the body is gripped by the handle 3 while the game is being played, and that the balls are initially disposed within the depression Ill. The player endeavors to roll the balls down the alley to the so-called home plate or cup-shaped member I l The score is kept in accordance with the number of balls that is received in the cup-shaped member and the game can be played under any appropriate rules, which may or may not be substantially in accordance with the rules of the game of bowling.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a handled elongated body provided with a chamber extending longitudinally thereof for the major portion of its length, an elongated member mounted in the chamber and providing a ball receiving alley, said alley being spaced from the side walls of the chamber to provide a gutter upon opposite sides thereof, balls to be rolled along the alley, means having a depression therein adjacent one end of the alley for initially receiving the balls, a substantially cup-shaped member of generally triangular formation, at the opposite end of the alley and providing goal means for the balls, a shank formed on and depending from the cupshaped member and being secured to the body for the disposal of a corner of the cup-shaped member toward the center of the alley and ball retaining and guide means extending along the sides of a portion of the alley and from adjacent the depression.

2. A game apparatus comprising a handled elongated body provided with a chamber extending longitudinally thereof for the major portion of its length, a base strip closing the lower portion of the chamber, an elongated member formed on and rising from the base strip for disposal within the chamber and providing a ball receiving alley, balls to be rolled along the alley, said base strip having a depression therein adjacent one end of the alley for initially receiving the balls, goal means at the opposite end of the alley for receiving the balls therefrom, said alley having its upper surface inclined upwardly from the ball receiving end thereof to its opposite end, said upper surface being slightly hollowed transversely throughout its length, ball guiding means formed on the sides of the alley and rising therefrom, said ball guiding means extending for a portion of the alley and from adjacent the depression, and transparent means closing the upper portion of the chamber.

JENS C. NIELSEN. 

